[color=7bcdc8][center][IMG]http://i58.tinypic.com/2gsr8jq.png[/IMG] Images owned by [url=http://aquasixio.deviantart.com][color=f7976a]AquaSixio[/color][/url] and [url=http://highdarktemplar.deviantart.com][color=f7976a]highdarktemplar[/color][/url] [h1][color=fdc68a]Taivion Agles[/color] and [color=fdc68a]Charon[/color] (Haros)[/h1][/center][/color] [color=7bcdc8]What is Death? A bitter darkness at the end of a tragic tunnel? Perhaps. Some say Death is a man. Perhaps he stands on a perch high above the earth watching and waiting. A man who knows not the differences a life make. Or perhaps he knows life greater than any of us, a man without life himself. He tosses the pieces of an elaborate puzzle that don't fit. It matters not if they are lined in gold, or are filled with light. Perhaps Death is nothing more than new life. Some say death is a life in the here-after, though none can agree where it resides. They scream for a large banquet. Food lined from end to end, yet the greatest residence is the glory of the men that reside within. They pray for white clouds whispering a somber noise as voices fill the air in glory glory amen. They fear a dank hole filled to the brim with a fire. One that knows only the feed. A need for consumption. But perhaps Death is none of these and all. A place between life and life anew. A break. A pause. A period of time or even one without in which life ceases for a momentary moment and then begins again. A bus station, a hospital bed, below the earth, or even at the edge of a river bank. A journey one must make alone. Wading in a tide that beckons you to the other side... Because, a new life awaits. A new journey. One with no promises of an end... "How? How is this happening?" --- "Someone call the doctor" --- --- "Has anyone informed the family?" --- "Sir?" "What is it?" "I- I think he's waking up." "Bring her in." --- ---- --- The light hurt. Oh the light hurt. He struggled uncomfortably. He didn't have the patience for this. Not now. Not after all this time, and he didn't particularly care how much time that was exactly. He just needed to open his eyes. He needed to see what was on the other side of this light. Ouch. What was that? Was that a noise? Why can't I see? How can a noise hurt? He began to panic. His blood was pumping. His heart was beating faster by the minute. Wait. His heart? He could feel it now more than before. It was beating so hard, it almost hurt. Was his heart breaking again? Oh no. He was just waking up. He couldn't let that happen again. The more he thought about it though, the faster his heart beat. Oh no. This is it. Again. A wretched cry sounded. This time followed by muffled voices. Why did he know this sound? His heart. It slowed down. Then it came again, but this time it was persistent. It was sobbing. Someone is crying? "My baby." A voice came, slightly muffled by the sounds of tears and a snorting sound, that reminded him of a pig. As the thought of the pig ran through his mind, his eyes suddenly became much clearer, albeit still blurry. Beside him, staring right back into his eyes was a woman he recognized instantly. Her smile made him smile, and as much as he wanted to call out to her, to comfort her, to say "Mom.", he couldn't get the thought of the pig out of his head. So, instead he did something different. He mustered as much air into his lungs as he could get and said... "The pig says..." and followed it with a snot inducing snort that mimicked his mother's. They both laughed. Coughed. Cried. He heard the doctor speaking, though he couldn't make out any words. His mother looked at the doctor and back at her son smiling, her warm soft hands engulfing his own. He felt safe. Alive. "Mom." He spoke, with heavy breaths still. She looked at him with a curious twinkle in her eyes. He never realized how pretty they were. He was glad to see them again. He smiled brighter and continued, "... when's dinner?" He could see the tears concentrating around her eyes, and she laughed. He wasn't sure if he had said something that hurt her or something funny. He really wasn't sure about much, but he was really sure he was hungry. Starving even. He thought he could even eat an elephant, if that were possible. "We'll get you some food soon." She spoke in almost a hymn. He could hear and see her clearly now. "The doctors said you need to get some rest." That didn't make much sense to him. He had just woke up. He didn't want to sleep, but he found himself unable to argue. He didn't even attempt. He was drifting softly. His eyes closed trying to capture each ray of light left to see before there was only darkness. --- "What is Death? Curious thing you have experienced. The fear it brings." "Mom says it's when someone goes away forever, and you never get to see them again. Like Grandma. I miss her the most." "There are many faces you will never see again. Those doctors, you may never see again. Does that make them less than living?" "Umm, I don't know." "Why am I here? With you? A child for company." "I don't... to be friends, I guess? Do you know me? "Child, I have no clue who you are, and I doubt that I can be much of a friend, nor do I need one such as yourself." "Oh." .... [color=fdc68a]"I'm not afraid to die."[/color] [/color]